Veterans across Connecticut face significant barriers to essential services, including dental care. To address this critical gap, the Delta Dental Foundation awarded a $35,000 grant to the University of Connecticut Foundation to expand the “Open Wide for Veterans” program, an initiative led by the UConn School of Dental Medicine.
Delta Dental, a dental insurance company, has partnered with UConn’s dental service programs in the past, previously donating $250,000 and supporting related veteran clinics, according to UConn Today. The grant funding was gifted as part of a $921,000 package earmarked for services to improve the oral health of at-risk populations.
“Our foundation focuses on supporting programs that address oral health care challenges, which help improve access to dental care and education for Connecticut residents,” said Dennis G. Wilson, president and CEO of Delta Dental of New Jersey and Connecticut in a press release on the grant.
The grant aims to improve dental health services for veterans, as well as seniors, developmentally disabled adults, disadvantaged children and others. It will also address the severe shortage of dental assistants by supporting workforce development programs. Ten Connecticut-based organizations, including The University of Bridgeport, Community Health Centers of Connecticut and Special Olympics of Connecticut, received funding as part of the package to improve their dental-related programs.
UConn’s “Open Wide for Veterans” program has already made a difference through its participation in the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs’ annual “Stand Down” event, a one-stop shop for veterans to access social, health, and financial services — it’s an initiative that has been successfully presented annually.
“One of our primary goals was to ensure that the veterans knew they had a welcoming dental home at UConn, conveniently located not too far away,” said Max Einbinder, the site lead for a “Stand Down” event in 2023 in UConn Today.
The UConn School of Dental Medicine is the school of dentistry component of UConn Health, and is based at the John Dempsey Teaching Hospital in Farmington, Conn. Their mission statement reads, “we will continuously pursue excellence and innovation in our endeavors while embracing the qualities of diversity, collegiality, integrity and leadership through individual and group effort.”
For more information about “Open Wide for Veterans”, visit dentalmedicine.uconn.edu.